WARREN Flood gripes draw crowd

One man believes cleaning storm drains might avert flooding problems.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Many of the more than 100 people who packed First Baptist Church to talk about flooding problems plan to bring their complaints to city council tonight.
The gathering Tuesday was organized by Vincent Flask, the Democratic candidate for the 5th Ward council seat, and Gregory Capito, an Eastland Avenue resident.
Residents of Eastland, Meadowbrook and Trumbull avenues and other parts of the city have been complaining about flooded basements since heavy rains deluged the area this summer.
"This has been going on for some time, and residents in the area believe they deserve some answers to their questions," Flask said.
Retention pond drained
Capito, who has lived in his house for 47 years, believes the draining of a retention pond when the Country Club Estates development was built in 2000 is largely to blame for the problems.
The pond acted as a reservoir for the area, he said.
He didn't have flooding at his home until 2001, he added.
Many who attended the meeting said they were disappointed that no one from the city administration showed up.
Mayor Hank Angelo has said that he wants to make sure he has more answers that he can present to residents before meeting with them.
Several council members did attend and tried to answer residents' questions.
"What's upsetting is that the administration has taken so long to address this issue," said Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at large.
City's absence
G.H. Mackey, who has lived on Meadowbrook for more than 30 years, says he never had flooding until after the upscale Country Club development went in.
Heavy rains in July brought more than a foot of water into his basement. He was dismayed that no one from the administration attended.
"You don't expect miracles, but you expect an ear or an explanation," Mackey said.
Keith Chopic of Trumbull Avenue said he's had problems with flooding since he moved to his home in 1988. Every time there's a moderate rain, the street floods and basements often flood as well, he said.
"One of the main problems is they haven't cleaned the storm drains for a long time," he said. "Every time we have a hard rain, it's flooded. We have a small lake."
He also believes the storm drains are too small to handle the water volume.
Many residents said they plan to attend the council meeting tonight to get their questions answered.
Shut-off valves
At a meeting earlier Tuesday with council's finance committee, Tom Angelo, director of the city's water pollution control center, proposed a program to help residents who experience flooded basements.
The program would use $50,000 in wastewater pollution control money and $50,000 from the storm water utility fund to allow people to install shut-off valves at their homes, said Councilman Robert A. Marchese, D-at large, finance chairman.
The valves prevent water from flowing into residents' footer drains.
"I think it's a very honorable thing for the city to do," Marchese said.
"We need to do more, but it's a start," Marchese added.